Loy Norrix senior Bishop Robinson looks to make a play with the ball against Holt in the Class A regional matchup on Monday. (James Buck | MLive.com)

RICHLAND, MI – The sounds of laughter echoed inside Loy Norrix's locker room and there were a few signs of tears on players' faces when they walked out after a 73-61 season-ending loss to perennial postseason contender Holt on Monday at Gull Lake High School.

The Knights stayed inside the locker room for a while, but when your program reaches the Class A regionals for the first time since 2003 those extra minutes are cherished and when your all-star senior player, Bishop Robinson, has competed in his last game you take the extra time to appreciate what he has accomplished.

"He is the face of this program," Loy Norrix coach Matt Covault said. "He is what we are. I can't say enough about him, from his beginnings when we got him as a freshman to where he is now he's a completely different kid. I'm really proud of him and his progress. ...He's a great guy to have in the locker room.

"When he mentioned about being a family we are all really tight and like any family there's tears and there's laughter. It was like that tonight. We ended with laughter and I think that was a good thing to end on."

Robinson finished with 24 points and eight rebounds to lead the Knights for one last time. The standout senior leaves Loy Norrix as the schools' all-time leader in scoring with 1,395.

He will leave Loy Norrix High School when he graduates, but he said he will always consider it a home.

"I know I can always come back to Norrix and I will always feel welcome and anything I need the coaching staff or any of the players will have my back," Robinson said with a big smile.

"I thought the points didn't really matter (tonight). The win wasn't there. The only thing I can do now is prepare the young kids for next year and work out with them and hopefully I can end up at a college that I like."

Robinson and the Knights (16-8) got off to a slow start as Holt (18-6) came out hot with the help of junior big man Colin Jones and had a 22-13 lead after the first quarter.

Jones' first two shots were 3-pointers and after Loy Norrix contained him outside the 6-foot-4 skilled big man took his game inside and excelled with post moves and putbacks.

Jones finished with a game-high 29 points.

Covault said the Knights looked a bit rattled early in the game.

"Like Bishop said, guys haven't been on this stage before, but you have to take baby steps before you can walk," he said. "We were fortunate to be here. I was very proud of our guys. They set a lot of high standards at the beginning of the season and to be in the situation we were in, I can't fault them. They were a great group to coach."

Holt, which will face Grand Rapids Christian in Wednesday's regional final, was sharp on both ends of the floor, but Loy Norrix struggled to execute with the ball and turned it over 12 times in the first half.

The Knights finally found some rhythm in the second half and Robinson led the way with 17 points in the final 16 minutes.

Loy Norrix senior Davian Phillips, who finished with 14 points, said he liked the way the team played in the second half.

"I think after halftime we got back to playing the way we usually do as a team and we got out more in transition," he said.